Approved Document S, in England, pushed many new homes to include charging infrastructure. What you actually inherited might be a finished charger, or only a duct, a spur and a promise in the brochure. Those are not the same. Ask the developer for the as-built drawing and whether a chargepoint was part of the specification or only a route for one. If you have a live, labelled supply of the right capacity in the right place, the remaining job is the charger and commissioning. If you have an empty duct, you still need a designed circuit.
New-build homes that have an EV spur but no charger: questions for the first visit
Warranty and the developer's snagging period matter. A missing item that was specified is a developer conversation. An optional upgrade they never sold you is a normal install.
How new-build homes that have an EV spur but no charger moves the job
Using a half-finished spur badly can cost as much as starting properly. Paying twice because nobody looked at the drawing is the avoidable bit.
What goes wrong with new-build homes that have an EV spur but no charger
The mistake is plugging a commando lead into a site socket the sparkies left, or drilling a second route beside a perfectly good duct.
Point at new-build homes that have an EV spur but no charger in the pack
Ask the installer to say whether they are completing the developer's circuit or designing a new one, and to certificate what they energise.
New-build homes that have an EV spur but no charger
Do not assume the spur is 32 amp, correctly protected and in a sensible position. Have an installer inspect it before you buy a matching wallbox.
- A duct is not a charger
- Get the as-built drawing
- Test the spur before buying hardware
- Snag the developer if it was specified and missing
Frequently asked questions
Does Part S mean every old house too?
No. It is a building-regulations duty on relevant new work, not a retrofit tax on every Victorian terrace.
Wales and Scotland?
Building rules differ. Use the nation your house was built under, not an English brochure.
Can I choose any charger?
Yes if the circuit suits it. The developer may have a preferred unit for warranty cosmetics. Electrically it still has to match.
Who notifies the network?
Whoever commissions the charger. A dormant duct may never have been notified as a charger.
Core buying guides
Start with these high-intent guides, then dig into the rest of the library.
Related guides
Sources and further reading
How this guide was prepared
This guide was written by the Local EV Installers Editorial Team. We compare official guidance, legislation and established consumer information, separate general information from project-specific advice, and show publication dates and sources. We do not accept installer accreditation claims at face value.